A chronic lack of smiles?

A chronic lack of smiles?

Czechs don't smile. Ask anyone who comes to the Czech Republic for the first time what strikes them the most and that is the answer you'll get. Look around on the trams, buses, metros or on the streets of Prague and you'll think that the Czech people are not a happy nation.

I will not go into an analysis of the reasons why foreigners always come to this conclusion. I would have to go into the past - forty years of Communist rule, suppression, a lack of trust, and the constant feeling of being watched.

I remember watching a talk show on television over a year ago in which foreigners were asked what they liked and disliked about this country. One of them said the nation needed to open up to strangers, enjoy life and express feelings. "Back home," she said "when I walk down the street I see people talking, laughing, windows wide open, music playing. Here, in the Czech Republic, doors and windows are shut and anyone who dares to laugh out loud and shows he's in a good mood is stared at as if he or she was a barbaric intruder who obviously has had a bad upbringing and has not heard of good manners."

Just wait until you've lived here a couple of years, I thought to myself. It's a phenomenon that doesn't cease to surprise me. Fact is, that Czechs are not the sour-faced, heartless, cold, and boring people they appear to be at first sight. On the contrary, they are a warm, open and friendly nation and once you get to know them, you know you can always count on them and will get help when you are in need of it.

But let me get back to that phenomenon I was talking about. What is behind this chronic lack of smiles in the country is the simple fact that it's not in the nature of Czechs to openly express their feelings. And once you've lived here long enough, you actually start to appreciate not being bothered all the time - the peace and quiet. It's a mysterious fact that the 'wipe that smile off your face' syndrome is contagious. I have seen proof of it many times. But the best example was last week-end on one of Prague's trams. I was on my way to the Old Town Square in the no 22 tram - the best way to tour the city, by the way - when I saw the guest who was in the talk show that I mentioned earlier. When we got to the city centre, a group of Italian tourists came in and brought some life back into the tram. The group was laughing, pointing to the different sites and was simply having a good time and enjoying the holiday in Prague. Remembering the talk show guest's words, I decided to watch the reactions of the Czechs around me. Much to my surprise, no one was bothered by the tourist group, except for the girl from TV. She put up with the laughter just about two tram stops when she got up, rolled her eyes and walked to the back of the tram where it was a little quieter!